Christmas Appeal: From army driver to bus driver - Jodeen Mclean shares her story

Rotorua’s Salvation Army foodbank was there for Jodeen Mclean when she needed it.

On December 7, she got the chance to return the favour when she drove a CityRide bus around Rotorua collecting donations in support of the organisation.

Now, Mclean shares her story and why she believes the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal is worth supporting.

Mclean’s story comes as the six-week appeal, run in conjunction with the Rotorua Weekender and The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM, continues its call for donations to the foodbank ahead of Christmas.

The appeal has been running for several years. Last week, the appeal’s Fill the Bus event collected a record-breaking 10,041 can donations, and Mclean was behind the wheel.

Jodeen Mclean was at the helm of Rotorua's Fill the Bus food drive on Wednesday. Photo / Maryana Garcia

“I wanted to see how much food we could get into the bus to help people,” Mclean said.

“The foodbank was there for me when I needed it, and so it was good to have a chance to give back to them.”

Mclean said she has always loved driving large vehicles, having driven trucks while serving in the New Zealand Army, where she held the rank of Lance Corporal.

“It was an opportunity to do something different,” Mclean said.

“My cousin was in the army at the time, and hearing everything that he was doing interested me.”

Mclean said there were two aspects of her experience in the army that she really enjoyed.

“Definitely the people. The people were really cool - and getting to see things that normal people wouldn’t see.”

Mclean was deployed to a number of countries, including East Timor. After eight years in the army, she was released from service in 2015.

“It was hard, going from a place that was so scheduled to adjusting to being a normal person again. It was really hard.”

After her army service, Mclean returned home to be a full-time mum to her son, David. Her daughter Evie was born in 2016.

“I’ve been focused on my kids.”

David is now 11 years old, while Evie is six.

Jodeen McLean (left), New Zealand Post's Vanessa Fisher, The Hits' Paul Hickey and the Grinch at New World for Fill the Bus. Photo / Maryana Garcia

But the past two years as a stay-at-home, single mum had been difficult.

“The foodbank took a lot of pressure off,” Mclean said.

“I had a lot of family that could help as well, so it wasn’t until things were really bad that I would go to the foodbank.”

When she did go, Mclean said she found all the Salvation Army staff “so lovely and nice”.

“It was awesome.”

Mclean believes Rotorua’s Salvation Army foodbank “definitely saves people”.

“It helps people mentally to know that there is something there, because life can be a struggle, and the foodbank means there’s one less thing to worry about.”

These days, Mclean still loves driving large vehicles, but has swapped her army truck for one of Rotorua’s local CityRide buses, starting in April.

“The people I work with are awesome and they work around my family commitments. The days that I don’t have a babysitter, the kids can come and jump on the bus with me and cruise around.”

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Mclean thinks the best part of her job is the people.

“The passengers are great. You can get the regulars that are really nice and give you hugs.”

Mclean wanted to encourage everyone who could support the foodbank to do so, and not to limit giving to when the appeal was running.

“People need the foodbank, not just at Christmastime, but every day of the year.”

Mclean’s second message was simple.

“Be nicer to bus drivers. You never know what anyone could be going through in life.”